Former sport minister and current Deputy Prime Minister, Vitaly Mutko, who's banned from all future Olympic events for his alleged role in the doping scandal, wrote on Twitter that athletes who wanted to compete "should not be called traitors".

"They should be supported whatever their decision," he said.

"There's nowhere left to retreat, it's time to give the West a kick up the arse!"

A Russian flag and a flexing bicep emoticon hammered home the message.

Politicians of all stripes lashed out at what they see as a political decision not to let the Russian Olympic team compete.

"This is without doubt a part of the West's broad attempt to restrain Russia," said Konstantin Kosachev, who chairs the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee.